By KENNEDY  MUPESENI –

KAOMA District Farmers’ Association (DFA), a branch of the Zambia National Farmers’ Union (ZNFU), has partnered with a South African company to provide loans to farmers for commercial growing of Irish Potatoes.
District chairperson Mutonga Mutonga said the district farmers’ association had partnered with a South African company to give loans to farmers wishing to engage in the growing of Irish potatoes in Nkeyema and Kaoma districts.
“With permission from our mother body, ZNFU, we last year partnered with a South African company , to partner with farmers so that farmers have access to inputs such as fertiliser and chemicals to start growing the crop on commercial basis,” Mr Mutonga said.
He, however, did not want to disclose the name of the South Africa company.
He said during the 2014/2015 agriculture season, the two partners embarked on the pilot project to see if the soil in the two districts could suit the growing of the tuber on a large scale.
Mr Mutonga said a total of 13 Limas of land was used as a pilot in selected areas which had proved the viability of the project.
The company’s role was to provide inputs as loans on condition that the farmer pays 50 per cent of the total inputs of about K5,000 per Lima.
He, however, said project was affected by bad weather patterns characterised the last farming season but that the project would go ahead in the coming farming season.
Mr Mutonga said the area had massive potential for the growing of different crops and that what was needed was concerted efforts to encourage the growing of different crops.
He said Western Province was known to be growing rice and maize however the region could accommodate a lot more crops.